"Unfortunately, my saber is called Golden Light, and using it so much has left me penniless," he said. "I hope the cash I loot from your body will cover the cost."
"You... you’ve been playing me all along..."
Xiao Qiuyu spat out a mouthful of blood, the chest that he had struggled to keep puffed up finally collapsed again, and fresh blood gushed continuously from the corner of his mouth. His eyes wide open, he breathed his last, dying with his eyes open.
He had always been on guard against Jiang Dali’s glaring broadsword at his back.
The other party had also kept saying he wasn’t qualified for Jiang Dali to draw his sword.
Thus, he believed that the Black Wind Village Chief’s strongest suit was his saber skill, and he sought to force the latter to reveal it.
However, when Jiang Dali’s Tiger Evil Golden Ring Saber Technique was unveiled, Xiao Qiuyu was momentarily stunned.
Because Jiang Dali’s saber skill was simply not remarkable.
It could only be described as mediocre.
Even to a swordsmanship expert like him, the other party’s saber skill had many flaws.
This huge gap between expectation and reality left Xiao Qiuyu momentarily lost in thought, thinking the flaws were deliberate traps set by the opponent.
Together with the distraction caused by the sword light and the sound of the blade’s motion, he was completely diverted.
Taking advantage of this fleeting opportunity, Jiang Dali, who was well prepared, instantly broke Xiao Qiuyu’s short sword with the edge of Golden Light, and a Splitting Sky Palm struck his left chest, claiming Xiao Qiuyu’s life.
"You have killed the Heartbreak Swordsman Xiao Qiuyu. As it’s determined to be a level-surpassing kill, you have earned 500 Cultivation Points, 800 Potential Points, and 500 reputation in the martial world."
"Your reputation has increased to the level of a local tyrant, and now, whether they hail from the black or white paths, the people of the Martial World throughout Hui Prefecture know your name. You have officially entered into the ledgers of the Holy Dynasty Six Gates, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Eastern and Western Factories as a dangerous individual.
Whenever you appear in any prefecture governed by the Holy Dynasty, you will immediately be noticed by experts from these organizations and could even be surrounded and attacked by officials or hunted by Righteous Sects.
You have become a chivalrous new figure in the Green Forest, with a place of your own in the Martial World! Your Cultivation Points have increased by 300 and Potential Points by 500."
Two system notification messages appeared on Jiang Dali’s interface.
Jiang Dali felt as though an evil gray light suddenly burst forth from his body.
He seemed to have become much more imposing.
Of course, this might just be an illusion.
He walked towards the corpse of Heartbreak Swordsman Xiao Qiuyu, waving his golden broadsword casually, emitting a terrifying "whoosh-whoosh" sound, astonishing currents of air whirling through the nine golden rings like wind chimes.
"Tsk tsk tsk... Heartbreak Swordsman, dying under my brilliant saber technique is no dishonor to you.
Had you been killed by my Shattered Watermelon Fist Technique, you wouldn’t even have a head left to keep."
Jiang Dali teased, looking at Xiao Qiuyu’s corpse.
But in his heart, he acknowledged Xiao Qiuyu’s words.
His current strongest martial art was indeed not the saber skill, but the One Yang Finger.
The Tiger Roar Golden Ring Saber Technique was, after all, only a Mortal Middle Grade technique.
Even though he had trained it to the fifth stage of Refinement.
Yet, without reaching the level of Divine Transformation, against a swordsman like Xiao Qiuyu, the technique could be said to invite ridicule, riddled with flaws.
If Jiang Dali had drawn his saber and employed the technique from the start, not only would he likely not have inflicted significant damage on Xiao Qiuyu, but he could have also ended up in an awkward situation.
Therefore, from the start of combat, Jiang Dali had always positioned the Golden Light Broadsword on his back as a key strategic weapon to deter his opponent.
Such a deterring weapon would focus much of the enemy’s attention on guarding against it.
In doing so, his strategic goal was achieved.
From confusing Xiao Qiuyu to whittling down his inner Qi and patience.
Then finally drawing the sword suddenly to capture the opponent’s attention.
And relying on the lethality of the golden broadsword to break his short sword and crush his spirit, securing the final blow.
One could say that Jiang Dali’s battle on the surface appeared to be a crude display of brute force against the enemy, yet it was nuanced within the broad strokes; a hidden needle within the cotton, certainly not as simple as it seemed on the surface.
At this point, a group of players and mountain bandits also whooped and cheered, swarming around in high spirits.
The players who had boldly initiated the attack on Xiao Qiuyu from the start were particularly excited and animated.
Although none of them had caused more than 1 point of damage to Xiao Qiuyu, they were judged to have participated in the battle.
Thus, when Xiao Qiuyu was dispatched by Jiang Dali, they all gained some Cultivation Points and Potential Points, albeit varied amounts.
Some even earned 1 point of reputation in the martial world, shedding their newbie status in the Martial World.
Of course, such benefits naturally made the opportunistic players feel extremely satisfied.
It was as if they had successfully snatched loot, and also partook in the grand event of a Martial World feud killing an expert, each feeling incredibly honored.
The players who were too slow to act were naturally envious, jealous, and resentful, all stimulated as if infused with an adrenaline rush, vowing to participate next time with a do-or-die, all-or-nothing attitude, causing the native mountain bandits to feel somewhat inadequate.
"Alright, lads, collect the spoils of war for me; we leave the bodies as they lie," said Jiang Dali after looking at the corpses of San, Zhao Jinxiu, and Li Hengfei from the Li Family’s noble lineage, with a light snort.
No matter how glorious and privileged you were in life, in the end, you’re just a mound of yellow soil; you won’t even get a plot of land for a grave.
What is the Martial World?
It’s about killing and being killed, living and dying.
Woven with love, hate, and all emotions in between, this is the cold and bloody reality of the Martial World.
One in the Martial World cannot control their own fate.
In a fight over mere inches of heartland, life, and death are forgotten.
"Carry the golden rods, let’s head back to the Mountain Village!"
Jiang Dali commanded, waving his big hand, sheathing his saber, and mounting the Demon Hawk as he led the way back to the Mountain Village.
"Oh ho! Black Wind, Black Wind!"
"Oh ho! The die is cast, and the southern man is sated! The Boss is so mighty!"
"The locals are talking in jargon again, what the hell does it mean?"
"I don’t know, it’s probably just expressing sheer happiness and lauding the village chief. Let’s just go along with it and say ’Shit’ when it’s our turn."
The group of mountain bandits and players laughed and roared with laughter, speaking their secret lingo as they raucously returned to the Mountain Village with their loot...